Wheeled desk with adjustable top



1955 s. RANDALL 3,211,113

WHEELED DESK WITH ADJUSTABLE TOP Filed Dec. 4, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 5 TE V17 RANDALL mix Oct. 12, 1965 s. RANDALL WHEELED DESK WITH ADJUSTABLE TOP 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 4, 1963 I NVENTOR STEV/J RANDALL Oct. 12, 1965 s. RANDALL 3,211,113

WHEELED DESK WITH ADJUSTABLE TOP Filed Dec. 4, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. k 5 8 ST Z EAJVDALL i I BY Oct. 12, 1965 s. RANDALL 3,211,113

WHEELED DESK WITH ADJUSTABLE TOP Filed Dec. 4, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

S T Z V17 RANDALL ATTOB/VE United States Patent 3,211,113 WHEELED DESK WITH ADJUSTABLE TOP Steve Randall, 126 Eubanks Drive, Forest Park, Ga. Filed Dec. 4, 1963, Ser. No. 327,906 1 Claim. (Cl. 108-9) This invention relates to a wheeled desk with an adjustable top and especially to a desk of that sort on a wheeled frame which may be readily moved through supermarket aisles or the like and accommodating papers on the adjustable desk top for the purpose of tabulating, inventory or desk work.

There are many instances where stock clerks, auditors or other people must go through aisles between racks or shelves of merchandise for the purpose of tabulating, inventory or making an order list and similar written opertions. There are many other instances where similar work must be performed and in a minimum of space with a maximum of facility. This is sometimes performed by the clerk carrying a clip board in his hands stopping periodically to inspect and then to make notations on his papers. Such an operation is cumbersome and awkward and sometimes the written material is not clearly readable later on. In addition, there is insufficient space on the clip board for the clerk to carry the various things needed for a thorough job. This is especially true in supermarkets and large retail establishments of that sort wherein the work is done during business hours and in crowded aisles and under less than most desirable conditions. The present invention directs to this foregoing subject matter and addresses itself to providing a more advantageous manner of performing the necessary Work.

Generally described, without restriction on the scope of my invention which is defined in the appended claims, the present wheeled desk with adjustable top in one embodiment comprises a Wheeled frame consisting of four almost vertical but slightly inclined corner legs, standards or posts which form the main four frame members on the corners of the generally rectangular frame. These members may be manufactured from tubular metal stock such as aluminum or chrome plated steel tubing or the like. The top of the four corner posts are connected by bar members there being one on each side forming a rectangular frame and spaced below this frame are other frame members interconnecting the respective corner posts lending strength and rigidity to the frame. The bottom ends of the four posts are provided each with a respective rubber tired caster wheel two of which are provided with simple latching brakes. A substantially flat, and rectangular desk top constructed of plywood, Masonite, or other material is connected by means of a longitudinal piano type hinge to one edge of the top frame and has mounted at the top thereof a conventional spring-biased clip board clip. Beneath the desk top on opposed sides and spaced thereon is a pair of notched adjustment members pivotly connected to the underside of the desk top and adapted to have one of the notches in each thereof fitting over a pin attached to each side of the upper frame. The desk top is adjustable in inclination from horizontal to 30 or more as desired. A rubber bumper provided on the top frame against the desk top will rest in horizontal position.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a wheeled desk with an adjustable top and a paper retaining means whereby the desk may be rolled through aisles and the like.

Another object of this invention resides in the particular details of construction of the wheeled desk frame and the top frame member together with the manner of attaching the desk top for an adjustment thereon.

A further object of this invention resides in the particular details of the hinged attachment of the desk top to 3,211,113 Patented Oct. 12, 1965 the wheeled frame and the provision of simple adjustment members with notc'hes selectively positionable on the frame to incline the desk top readily and quickly as required either for writing or for drawing or for other purposes.

Other and further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent upon reading the following specifications taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric perspective view of the wheeled desk cart of the instant invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the desk shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of the wheeled desk shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along lines 4-4 in FIG. 3. 1

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along lines 55 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along 6-6 in FIG. 3.

Referring initially to FIG. 1, and then as the specification unfolds conveniently to other figures of the drawings as desired, the entire wheeled desk is designated as reference numeral 10 and comprises a wheeled frame 12, consisting of four tubular corner posts or members 14 of identical construction and arranged substantially vertical as the four corners of the wheeled frame 12 except that there is an inclined or slanted portion 16 on each leg or post or member 14 between a straight portion 18 at the top and a similar straight portion 18 at the bottom. The bottom end of each of the legs 14 is provided with a heavy duty chrome plated rubber-tired castor 20 of conventional construction and the operation of which is Well known in the caster art. Two of the casters, in the pressent embodiment, the front casters 20, are provided with simple, movable latching member 22 displaceable manua-lly to engage the wheel and lock the wheel as a manually operated brake.

The upper ends of the legs 14 which may be constructed from tubular metal such as aluminum or chrome plated steel, are connected together by means of flat bars or members 24 joining opposed pairs of the upper ends of the legs 14 and curving therearound and being connected in the manner shown in the drawings.

Spaced from and below the frame members 24 and extending between respective pairs of legs or frame members 14, are additional struts or connecting members 26 attaching the respective pairs of members 14 together by means of screws 28 inserted through the members 14 and fastened into the ends of the struts 26. These additional struts lend stability and rigidity to the frame.

A pair of bottom, tubular connecting members 30 extend between and attach to respective pairs of front and rear legs 14 lending strength and rigidity thereto and members 30 in turn are connected by a central transverse connecting member 32 which may be inserted in holes 34 fabricated into members 30. Members 30 may be connected to legs 14 by means of holes 36 fabricated into members 14.

On top of the wheeled frame 12 there is mounted a desk top 38 of substantially rectangular construction and which may be fabricated from plywood, painted or covered with Formica or the like or from Masonite or from other suitable flat, sheet material including steel or other metal plate suitable coated or covered for decorative purposes. The top edge of desk 38 is provided with a conventional clipboard clip 40 which includes a spring (not shown) biasing the elongated edge 42 of the clipboard member 40 into spring biased engagement with the surface of desk 38. The operation and construction of the clipboard member 40 is well known and does not per se form a part of this invention.

The lower edge of the desk 38 is attached by a conventional piano type hinge 44 of conventional construction and which consists of a pair of hinged leaves 46 connected by a hinge pintle (not shown) whereby the entire top 38 will swing about the top member 24.

Referring to FIG. 4, and sometimes in conjunction with FIG. 1, and other figures of the drawings, it is readily seen that the underside of desk top 38 is provided with a pair of spaced lugs or brackets 48 to receive the upper end of an adjustment link or member 50 connected to the lug 48 by means of a bolt, nut and lock washer arrangement 52. The adjustment member 50 is provided with a plurality of adjustment notches 54 adapted selectively to be positioned on a protruding shoulder of a bolt, nut and lock washer arrangement 56 attached to a respective side member 24 on the top of the wheeled frame 12.

According to the foregoing arrangement of the top 38 and adjustment member 50, the top 38 may be inclined upwardly in the manner shown in FIG. 4, with the lower most notch 54 on the shoulder of the arrangement 56 or the top 38 may be dropped to a horizontal position resting on a pair of rubber bumpers or plugs 58, there being one on each of the tops of the rear legs 14.

Top 38 is provided with a ledge '58 on the front to prevent papers or anything else on the surface of top 38 from sliding therefrom.

In the operation of the wheeled desk and adjustable top which operation is found in the foregoing description of the structural arrangement the entire wheeled desk may be pushed or pulled manually by the clerk using the desk 38 thereby making the cart or desk readily mobile between crowded aisles and throughout retail establishments or other places. At times when the desk 38 is being used for writing, inventory or other purposes, the members 50 may be selectively positioned and adjusted to place the angle of the desk top 38 as desired or required by the operator. When the desk is to be used for transporting merchandise or for moving articles on the top 38, the members 50 may be knocked from their position beneath the desk top 38 and if desired may be retracted upwardly into a clamp 60 fastened to the underside of top 38 which comprises a pair of clamp members spring-biased to receive and hold the member 50.

It is obvious from the foregoing that the wheeled desk is inexpensive in fabrication especially in quantity, but is versatile in operation and may be converted swiftly and readily from a writing desk to a cart or wheeled dolly for transporting articles on the top 38.

While I have shown and described a particular embodiment of my invention together with suggested construction and operation thereof, this is for the purpose of illustration only and does not constitute any sort of restriction on the scope of my invention since various alterations, substitutions, changes, deviations, ramifications and 4 variations may be made in the embodiment shown and described without departing from the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

In a wheeled desk of the class described:

(a) a wheeled frame comprising four tubular corner legs disposed substantially vertical but being bent inwardly from the bottom of the top whereby the distance at the top between corners is less than at the bottom,

(b) frame members interconnecting the bottoms of some of said corner legs to strengthen same and make the frame more rigid,

(c) caster wheels on the bottom of each of said legs,

((1) a top frame interconnecting said opposed leg members and comprising frame members joined at each of said legs to provide an open frame at the top,

(e) other members between said legs above the members in (b) adding strength and rigidity thereto,

(f) a fiat desk top member mounted on the top of said frame and having one edge thereof attached by a piano type hinge to one of said other members, such being designated as the front of the desk, whereby said desk top is adjustable from horizontal to less than vertical,

(g) a pair of opposed adjustment members attached each at one end thereof to the underside of said desk top,

(11) each of said adjustment members having a plurality of notches spaced longitudinally thereon and extending at an angle toward the center of said material from an outer edge thereon,

(i) a fixed shoulder on one of said other side members of said top other frame adapted to receive the notch of the adjustment member therein on each side of said frame whereby said desk top may be positioned in one of several positions to change the inclination thereof to horizontal to more than horizontal to incline the desk surface,

(j) and a paper retaining means on said desk top,

manually operable to receive and retain papers therein on said desk top.

References Qited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,457,889 6/23 Hinrichs 108-9 1,655,798 1/28 Richards 108-9 1,726,144 8/29 Everts 108-9 2,215,462 9/40 Davidson et al 108-9 X 2,631,006 3/53 Sick 108-8 X 2,696,415 12/54 Himelson 108-9 X 2,792,944 5/57 Drommer 108-144 X 2,795,891 6/57 Bishop 108-9 3,016,650 1/62 Magers 108-135 X 3,106,037 10/63 Harkey 248-444 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. 

